A. Study this example situation:
Kevin loves football and tonight there is a big football game on TV. The game begins
at 7:30 and ends at 9:15. Paul wants to see Kevin tonight and wants to know what
time to come over.
Paul : Is it all right if I come at about 8:30?
Kevin: No, I'll be watching the game then.
Paul : Well, what about 9:30?
Kevin: Fine. The game will have ended by then.
B. I will be doing something (future continuous) = I will be in the middle of doing
something. The football game begins at 7:30 and ends at 9:15. So during
this time, for example at 8:30, Kevin will be watching the game.
Example:
I'm leaving on vacation this Saturday. This time next week I'll be lying on a
beach or swimming in the ocean.
Compare will be doing and will do:
Example:
Don't call me between 7 and 8. We'll be having dinner then.
Let's wait for Maria to arrive, and then we'll have dinner.
Compare will be doing with other continuous forms:
Example:
At 10:00 yesterday, Kelly was in her office. She was working. (past)
It's 10:00 now. She is in her office. She is working. (present)
At 10:00 tomorrow, she will be in her office. She will be working. (future)
C. We also use will be doing in a different way: to talk about complete actions in
the future:
Example:
I'll be seeing Kelly at the meeting this evening.
What time will your friends be arriving tomorrow?
You can use Will you be -ing...? to ask about somebody's plans, especially if you
want something or want them to do something.
Example:
Will you be using your car tonight?
Why? Do you want to borrow it?
D. We use will have done (future perfect) to say that something will already be
complete before a time in the future. Kevin's football game ends at 9:15. So
after this time, for example at 9:30, the game will have ended.
Example:
Kelly always leaves for work at 8:30 in the morning, so she won't be home at
9:00. She'll have gone to work.
We're late. The movie will already have started by the time we get to the
theater.
Compare will have done with other perfect forms:
Example:
Ted and Amy have been married for 24 years. (present perfect)
Next year they will have been married for 25 years. (future perfect)
When their first child was born, they had been married for three years. (past perfect)
